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Messed around with a small 2 line kite quite a few times this summer.
Quite interested in getting something bigger and maybe 4 lines.
What should i be looking? Im a light weight @ 62kg so dont want to get blown off into the irish sea. Spent years surfing, skating etc so possibly with a view of learning to fly kites properly before maybe learning to kitesurf next summer before i get too old.....
never too old to kitesurf, there was a guy I used to see in west Wales who had a hip replacement in his late 60s and still managed to get out!
Great idea to learn how to fly a kite before taking on the sea, it'll really make things a lot easier.
The HQ beamers are a great kite, I started on a 3.6m - however, as much fun as they are it won't be long before you get bored and be looking out to the guys and gals on the water!
Where abouts are you based? I might be able to recommend a great school for lessons.
I'm in Pembrokeshire
Ah, I used to Kitesurf at Newgale a lot, beautiful spot. It's a bit of a travel, but I can highly recommend Blast Kiteboarding based in Porthcawl. Marc is a great teacher and takes real pride in getting people up and riding safely. There's a good group of kitesurfers (many taught by Blast) who use the beaches around that area that all look out for each other.
c9 - I'm about to sell my 3.5m Flexifoil Rage if you're interested?
4 line, easy to fly.
http://flexifoil.com/land-kiting/rage/
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Another vote for an HQ Beamer. It's a really great 4 line kite. Good value as well.
I'm about 60kgs and my 3m Blade is awesome, plenty powerful enough on the beach. That rage up there (no affiliation to/with Stoner) would be a fine start.
Bought a 2 line stunt kite from John Lewis a few months back, can't get the thing off the ground!
Rage is a cracker as is the Blade.
Got one of each - the Rage is the 3m and the Blade II is either 6.5 or 8 (can't remember as its been that long since I've flown it)
The Blade will happily tow a board or buggy and will get you used to the sort of power and lift of the waterborne kites.
I originally had a 2 line fleixfoil stacker, and used to spend more time swearing at it than flying it unless Mrs S was around to help launch.
That's why I moved on to a 4 line for ease of solo launch.
Stoner.. If you can mail me price and details that would be great
c9 - YGM
id really recommend the rage. its a great first 4-line kite.
agreed
Pansh are good at a good price, also if you sign up to their email list they often offer a free kite when you buy one from them.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Pansh-UK
This forum is discussing quality
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2342855
Avoid the blade as a first kite, it will try and kill you when you aren't looking 🙂 also make sure you get kite killers and remember to let go before you are too high of the ground.
You'll need more than one kite too or the wind will never be right for whatever size you go for.
I have a 2.5m rage that i fly in most winds. Its small enough to manage in big wind but big enough to have a gentle fly in lower wind. I had a 3m samurai2 before and that was similar. Its not quite as happy in low wind (despite what you would expect).
Kite killers are a good idea unless you really enjoy chasing stuff along beaches/across the park/fishing kites out of trees.
My experience of a blade is that it will indeed try to kill you in your sleep if you are not aware of its psycho side. Definitely wouldn't be my recommendation as a first large or 4 line kite.
There was a similar post to this at the beginning of the year, after reading the recommendations I bought an HQ Beamer 3m and started practicing on the beach. Something like this would be a good starter.
Had lessons with the afore mentioned Marc at Blast (there's a forum linked to the shop site) also have a look at the kitecrowd forum as there's a lot of bargains to be had on there.
I will post up tomorrow my quiver of kites i dont get the time to use. A couple of small high wind bullets plus a 5 mtr ozone in blue/white. Used on grass and never crashed. Still crispy with kite killers and bags.
Yeah rages are good. Blades are fun but do bite. Beamers are good and cheap but a bit boring. Blurrs also good.
Don't know what kite he's using, but he was moving at a good clip with a force 6 Easterly to power it. He certainly looked like he was having fun. Possibly. 😀
Start Bay, taken from Start Point, looking towards Blackpool Sands.
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^That doesn't look like F6. Barely a whitecap....
It was slightly calmer that day, but up on the top of Start Point I could barely hold the camera, let alone hold it steady, I had to put it on the top of a fence post and hold it down to take that.
Sorry, I'm getting my days muddled up, it was windy that day, probably about a 12-15kt wind, it really started to blow from the following day, and kept it up for a week; none of the local fishing boats would go out, and even the big Brixham crabbing boats stayed in:
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The cottage above is called Seaview...
One of two surviving from thirty five, after an Easterly in December 1917
Those are all from Start Point, Hallsands and Beesands, Easterlies aren't popular down there...
It might have made kiting a bit more exciting!
Do not get a Blade as a first kite, unless you like hospital food.
One time, I'd flown quite a few kites including smaller Blades and thought I knew what I was doing; mate turned up with a bigger one, I had a go with it, launched it straight up into the power without much thought and landed horizontally about 40 yards away.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/pacef8/103h5n
Perfect if you want to start out in big winds.
The large blade has now sold.
Have just bought 2 flexifoil blades (3 and 4m) and kite buggy for £275!!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexifoil-kite-buggy-with-2-Flexifoil-kites-/171995608684?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=7SAk4mXqlk1tR%252BQ2KXzW6R854XY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
Picking it up tomorrow morning and only 2 miles away.
Shame the wind forecast is for 50mph winds for the next week or so...
Get a Rev 1.5 and learn to fly a four-line kite properly. Then add a power kite as desired if you really want traction activities.
EDIT: foils are great fun, but they won't teach you about four line control. They will drag you around though. I like a good stack as much as the next.
You'll need a decent breeze to move a full buggy with a 3-4mt - well to keep it moving well!
Might just pump the tyres up on the board tomorrow and get the Rage out.
The Blade isn't coming out though - I might be a bit "mental" but I'm not "stoooopid" enough to consider that!!
Especially when where we fly is 25mts from the Solent 😆
As I posted earlier in the year, even a small 2m kite will provide a lot of fun in a good wind especially considering your weight ( same as me). An HQ Beamer or PKD Buster are good low aspect ratio kites which provide traction rather than lift at reasonable cost. Beware the Blade, it will hoik you off the ground very easily and give you a spanking if you are not careful. Use kite killers, they are essential and not at all a cissy option. 4 line kites are very controllable but can still be difficult to tame with the brake lines at times especially if the wind is gusty. Start small and work up. I find anything over 4m a bit of a handful as I am light and only fly for fun without a buggy or board.
Blade II is either 6.5 or 8
+1.... Don't get a Blade as a first kite.
Had a 6m and it was always an adventure. If the wind was snappy /gusty it would lift you 15-20ft in the air and then dump you.
Even in a steady wind at the coast it child easily catch you out.
When starting out look for a kite that has more pull than lift. Beamer is a good choice.
Oh, and kite-killers.
Pah, £275 for a buggy and kites. I paid £200 for a buggy, 4m blade and 2m little devil. 🙂 got to love collection only eBay items.
If anyone wants a buggy its cluttering up my shed.
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